Alpha
by EnigmaticMind2016
Summary: REQUESTED! If anyone asked, not that they would, Buck was the Alpha. OR How exactly did Buck earn his Alpha title. BuckxKeeva


**A/N: Hey guys! I'm back with another one-shot, and it's BuckxKeeva! I'll warn you this is a little different from the fluff and humor I usually write for these two, but I hope you like it just the same.**

 **WARNING: Minor violence. Minor swearing.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Ice Age. I do own my OCs.**

Alpha

When a group of wolves hang out together long enough, a hierarchy is established. Who leads it, who secures it, who hunts for its members, and who bottoms it. There's no discussion of leadership, pack members fall into their places as naturally as breathing.

Keeva's never headed a pack in her life, and technically, she didn't have a pack to lead, even if she wanted to. Not that she wanted to, well, not all of her anyway. Keeva had noticed, since learning of her heritage, the Alpha part of her that had been laying dormant all of her life, was waking up.

Do you know what it's like to be constantly at war with _yourself?_

Keeva did.

There were people she liked to blame for it. Her parents, first and foremost, because what were they _thinking?_ Her Alpha sister for her constant encouragement. Diego for his careful instructions on hunting and fighting. And Buck, especially Buck.

Buck challenged her in a way that had her Alpha blood crying for release. She had been _taught_ how to hunt and how to fight, but Buck's world put those lessons into practice. She had to hunt and she had to fight if she wanted survive down here.

Keeva wasn't surviving, she was thriving.

All of this somehow led to her current predicament. The pack heirarchy had yet to be established between the two of them, and it was driving Keeva positively _mad._ One would think, between a wolf and a weasel, the role of leadership would be an obvious one, but no. Buck was so unlike any mammal she'd ever met, where any other weasel would've run at first sight of her, Buck invited her closer. Buck consoled her, he defended her, he _cared_ about her.

One half of her demanded submission to the weasel, and the other demanded she claim her Alpha title, so naturally Keeva did neither. She didn't want to put Buck into a position that he didn't understand, because he _didn't_ understand-

"You really should stop pacing." Buck interrupted her, peering down from his post in a nearby tree. "You'll wear a hole in the floor."

"Very funny." Keeva grinned despite herself. Buck shrugged and leapt down to join her on ground level.

"Trouble sleepin'?"

"Uh, yeah." Keeva's ears twitched with indecision. "You could say that."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Keeva bit her lip. They were friends, good friends. She should be comfortable enough to talk with him about most anything. And for the most part, she was, just not with this. Because it would effect him too, in some way, and she didn't want to lose her friend over some stupid wolfish habit.

"I...I don't think you'd understand." She admitted finally. "It's a wolf thing."

"Are you alright?" The weasel asked seriously.

"Yeah...mostly."

"Mostly?" Buck exasperated. "Lass, if somethin's ailing ya-"

"I'm not sick!" She cut him off in a panic. _I'm just going absolutely out of my mind._

"Then what is it?" Buck huffed impatiently. "Just spit it out."

" _Fine."_ Keeva fidgeted anxiously. "But you have to promise not to laugh." At the weasel's nod, she sat down and tried to think of a way to explain her situation. _This is so embarrassing..._

"Okay, in a wolf pack," she began slowly. "There's a social order that must be maintained." The she-wolf glanced at the weasel to make sure he was following. There was no real expression on his face, idle curiosity perhaps, but at least he was taking the matter seriously. "There are the Head Alphas. They're the founders of the pack. Their subordinates are Alphas, they hunt, secure, and enforce the pack."

Buck's visable brow furrowed, confused.

"They provide for the pack and enforce the laws." Keeva surmised. "And then," she forged on hesitantly.

"There are the Omegas." She swallowed thickly, Keeva hadn't really told him much about Omegas, just that she was one. "They are the lowest ranking member of the pack."

Something in Buck's eye flashed.

"They serve no purpose to the pack's wellbeing. They are considered parasites and...expendable."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Buck waved his arms to cut her off. "Someone actually told you that?"

"Yeah." Keeva nodded. "All Omegas know it, its part of our schooling."

"And you believed it?"

"Schooling starts young, Buck. We're conditioned from a very early age on how to behave around our betters."

"No wonder you left." Buck grumped folding his arms again. Yeah, she had a lot she needed to stop and explain to him. "This is good to know an' all, but what about this is troublin' you?"

"Don't you get it?" Keeva asked. Though she honestly wasn't surprised that it had gone over his head. "Every pack has an Alpha and an Omega."

"So?"

"So... can't believe I'm saying this." Taking a deep breath, she met the weasel's eye squarely. "We need to establish a heirarchy around here."

"What?" Buck blinked.

Keeva tried not to growl her frustration.

"Do I have to spell it out for you?" She hissed.

"Well, obviously." Buck snapped back. "Because it sounds like you want me to treat you like-"

"An Omega," she cut him off. "Not in the most literal meaning, no." She shook her head, this was such a bad idea, he was resistant.

"Don't worry about it, Buck." Keeva grinned weakly. "I didn't think there was anything you could do about it anyway." She rose back onto all fours. "Go get some sleep, one of us needs to be well rested for tomorrow, and I won't be getting any sleep tonight."

She leaned over and gave his shoulder a friendly nudge, and then turned to resume her restless pacing.

Buck watched.

He didn't understand wolves.

He'd learned very quickly into their friendship that she was peculiar, perhaps one of the most peculiar mammals he'd ever met. She was constantly going back and forth between the cautious, hesitant wolf he'd met to the fiery independent wolf he, and perhaps she, was just discovering.

Was that his fault? Was the fact that she had no Alpha to direct her making her what she wasn't, or at least hadn't been. Wasn't that a good thing? To realize you didn't need someone constantly nipping at you?

Keeva's teeth flashed. Pearly white in the surrounding dark, before shaking her head and continuing her trek. He'd noticed, of course he'd noticed her shifting behavior. Her restlsssness, her mood swings from docile to agressive, her increasing stubbornness that made him want to hit her over the head.

She was fighting something.

 _Every pack has an Alpha and an Omega._

His eye widened and his jaw nearly dropped as the realization hit him.

She was trying not to dominate him.

Keeva had called them a pack, and if one of them taking headship over the other was what it took to get Keeva back, then that was what was going to happen.

Buck didn't know anything about the inner workings of a wolf pack, but he did understand the concept of dominant and submissive. So, in theory, all he had to do was pin Keeva down.

The only problem being how willing of a participant she was going to be.

Keeva's own thoughts were derailing while her trusted friend came to terms with her predicament. So she was not at all prepared when someone grabbed her by the tail and pulled her backwards until she was nearly sitting. She didn't think twice, she whirled around teeth bared, she was in no mood to be toyed with.

"Hey-!"

He was already gone, moved out of sight. She hurriedly searched the surrounding dark. _What's that crazy weasel up to now?_

Something solid crashed into her side and Keeva staggered with force with which she was hit, groaning as she just barely managed to keep her footing.

Buck swore, and her ears swiveled toward the sound of his scurrying feet.

" _Buck!"_ She snapped. "Just what are you doing?"

He came at her again, but she was ready this time. Snapping her teeth and catching him around the waist, giving him a good shake, before tossing him aside. There was no thud. He landed on his feet.

Adrenaline pumping, Keeva paced, searching the surrounding jungle for signs of her weasel companion. Buck seemed to have vanished. She stopped and tested the air, but their wasn't much point in it. This was their camp for the night, Buck's scent lingered all around, heavy and strong.

With a weary sigh, the she-wolf slumped into a sit. She had enough fo worry about without Buck adding to the mix. She didn't get it, he'd been fine all night, why was he acting so bizarre now? Silently, she rewound the evening's events over in her mind. He'd been fine up until Keeva had tried and failed to explain her need of leadership...

Lapis eyes widened.

So, _that's_ what he was doing.

He was challenging her. He understood after all. Keeva wanted to smile, relived, but it faded all too soon. Buck was _challenging_ her. Now, she couldn't find him. The fur along her back stood up, senses becoming hyper aware.

But she was too late.

Buck launched at her from the trees and dove low, almost too fast for her to see. All too quickly, Keeva found her paws jerked out from beneath her, and went crashing to the ground as a result. Yelping her surprise, the she-wolf immediately made to get up, now that she understood the severity of the situation. Only to find her legs immobile. Glancing down, she found all four limbs tied together with a long cord of vine.

"Buck, you shit!" She couldn't help but swear as she sought the weasel out, all while struggling to free herself. Suddenly, Buck was on top of her, much to her indignation. She snapped at him furiously, needing no words to get across how infuriated she was with him right now.

"Steady now, lass." Buck murmured almost soothingly, but the sentiment was lost as he placed his hands firmly on her neck and head, keeping her pinned in place.

Keeva writhed and cursed, the Alpha in her hating having Buck _over_ her. Dominating her. Buck, for his part, held fast. He wasn't sure how long he'd need to hold her here, until she stopped struggling at least. He didn't like doing this, and would much rather just let her go, but he also knew that she needed it.

He wanted her to know that he would be there for her, do whatever he needed to for her, no matter how unpleasant it may be. He hoped the action was speaking louder than his words had.

Finally, she stilled. Buck didn't let up though, she was still resisting him, eyes defiant, body tense. He held firm. If he let go too soon then this would have all been for nothing.

"Keeva." His voice a rumbling growl. " _Submit._ "

Keeva's eyes widened and she quivered, suddenly sorry for every time she had ever underestimated the weasel. With a long suffering groan, she allowed her body to relax, and her eyes to soften. So, when she looked at him again, it was with calm hesitation.

Feeling the tension leave her body, and seeing the acceptance in her eyes, Buck relented. His hands went from gripping to stroking along the back of her head and neck. He smiled at her.

"You okay?"

"Mmhm." Keeva hummed, tail thumping at his ministrations. "I'll be even better when you untie me, though."

 **A/N: This is set after they become best friends, but _before_ they begin an actual relationship. I think there were big steps taken here in foundation of their relationship. **

**Common Ground will be the next request I post. No matter what. It's taken me a long time to write because of writer's block and school, but I promise it is coming.**

 **And of course I will try to have the next chapter of _A Wolf's Cry_ up as soon as possible. **

**See you next time!**


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